News

iPhone shortages expand to 8GB model, new models soon?

By Charles Starrett ● Wednesday, April 2, 2008

Following our March report on 16GB iPhone shortages, new checks reveal that the supply shortage has spread to the 8GB model as well. Nine U.S.-based Apple retail locations contacted today by iLounge yielded only two locations with 8GB models in stock, seven locations that were completely sold out of iPhones, and not a single location with the 16GB model in stock. Previous reports from stores suggested that the shortage might last until May, and though the reasons for the shortage have remained unclear, there has been speculation that updated or refreshed iPhone models may be debuted soon. Informed sources have suggested to iLounge that the current iPhone models will be replaced with new ones in the near future rather than kept around.

Comments

1

Why are these shortages occurring now if the supposed 2G iPhone won’t debut for another three months?

Posted by Galley in Greenville, SC on April 2, 2008 at 1:33 PM (CDT)

2

Manufacturing miscues, most certainly.

Posted by Jeremy Horwitz in East Amherst, NY, USA on April 2, 2008 at 1:45 PM (CDT)

3

Maybe one of you guys knows more than I do, but wouldn’t any new iPhone model have to be approved by the FCC and thus would likely be pre-announced by Apple, just like the first one?

Posted by mattwardfh in Texas on April 2, 2008 at 2:13 PM (CDT)

4

The conventional wisdom is that this means new iPhones are on the way. Couldn’t it instead be increased demand resulting from the SDK announcement?

Posted by Michael on April 2, 2008 at 2:18 PM (CDT)

5

2G? I thought they were going to be 3G…

;-)

Posted by Neal Katz on April 2, 2008 at 6:12 PM (CDT)

6

2G means second-generation…

Posted by Anonymous on April 2, 2008 at 8:04 PM (CDT)

7

Hence, the *wink*

Posted by Neal Katz on April 3, 2008 at 6:12 AM (CDT)

8

Hi iphone lovers, I live in Europe, the reason for the shortages its clear, one year has passed since iphone’s debut and the countries where is available are little, eveybody wants an Iphone, and people from conutries where is not distributed are buying big amounts of iphones, due to currency exchange, 1 euto= 1,60 dollars, buy an Iphone for 399 dollars and sell it in europe for 399 euros is a big and easy business, you can find hundreds of iphones on ebay everyday, also china hungry for iphone is rising, and some studies demonstrates that are millions of iphones operating in the chinesse mobile networks. Maybe there are new models on the way, but for me the reason is high demand not covered outside U.S. and incredible currency euro-dollar exchange.

Is waht I think.

Posted by Axel Tomcat on April 3, 2008 at 8:51 AM (CDT)

9

axel was on the right track, and it’s not a mystery. over 10% of the total iphone output has not been activated on AT&T, leading one to the obvious conclusion that these iphones are all in the overseas markets. my office buddies recently bought 4 iphones (ver 1.1.2) for the equivalent of USD512, no warranty. and the demand is still high all over southeast asia, with some countries selling iphones for up to USD750. btw - i’m in the philippines.